Aug 1, 2024
It is State Fair season (August 8-18, 2024) and one of the popular exhibits at Conservation World, located on the northwest corner of the Illinois State Fairgrounds, is the Fisheries tent. Back by popular demand will be a variety of fish exhibits and hands-on fishing opportunities. New this year will be two days with early opening hours to allow sensory-minded interactions, a display on the sea lamprey and a series of banners highlighting record catches of sportfish in Illinois.
MoreAug 1, 2024
When we think about mosquitoes, it is often of the species that are common around our homes during mid- to late summer and which annoy us, and possibly transmit disease agents to humans or other animals. Yet there are nearly 70 species of mosquitos are present in Illinois and some species produce a single generation each year.
MoreAug 1, 2024
Understanding the Classification of Illinois’ Wildlife
State-endangered species, state-threatened species and Illinois protected species are three classifications of wildlife commonly mentioned in OutdoorIllinois Journal articles. What do they mean? Read on to learn about these classifications that often have complex and intertwined regulations.
MoreAug 1, 2024
Formed nearly 25 years ago, the Chicago Fishing Advisory Committee was established by former Mayor Richard M. Daley in advance of the Chicago-based 2000 Bass Masters Classic. In this monthly forum, a diverse group of northern Illinois fishing professionals and enthusiasts come together to discuss agency fishery management and education activities, and fishing access issues within the City of Chicago.
MoreAug 1, 2024
Within the Ozark Natural Division in Illinois lies a karst region, a terrain formed by the action of water, with an acidic property, in the dissolution of limestone or other carbonate bedrock layers. Within the post-oak barrens, restored prairies, sinkholes and caves of the region, unique wild creatures go about their lives partaking partly of each, the surface and subsurface.
MoreAug 1, 2024
Native bees have evolved alongside the local flora and fauna, creating mutually beneficial relationships with native plants and maintaining biodiversity. As they pollinate plants, they help propagate a wide range of species, from trees and shrubs to wildflowers and grasses. This, in turn, supports birds, butterflies and mammals which depend on these plants for food and habitat. Researchers are now working to understand the diverse assemblage of native bees that rely on Illinois wetland communities.
MoreAug 1, 2024
Information from anglers side can provide a unique perspective compared to data collected from annual population surveys. Illinois Department of Natural Resources and other agencies are testing whether a smartphone app could be used to collect angler information in an organized, coordinated approach to make the information more readily available, reliable and useful.
MoreAug 1, 2024
After a recent workshop on Aquatic Invasive Species, Illinois Conservation Police Officers are now also functioning as “force multipliers,” aiding in the detection of exotic crayfish, plants and fishes that threaten the health of Illinois’ native aquatic ecosystems.
MoreAug 1, 2024
Although many Illinois anglers can recount stories about catching rainbow trout over the decades, did you know that the fish is not native to Illinois? The first rainbow trout stocking in Illinois occurred before the 20th century, and that tradition lives on today, thanks to work done in hatcheries such as IDNR’s Jake Wolf Memorial Fish Hatchery.
MoreMay 1, 2024
Aquaculture in the classroom helps inspire the next generation of students
When you think of fish in a classroom, you may not be picturing fish tanks the size of hot tubs, complete with recirculating pipes, biofiltration, and chemical management systems, but that’s just what some students across the state get to experience.
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A message from Chief Mike Wefer
Welcome to the August 2024 edition of the online magazine OutdoorIllinois Journal, featuring timely, seasonally based stories about the Prairie State’s wildlife resources, with an expansion of content to include a broader range of subjects—including endangered and threatened species and Illinois’ unique, high-quality habitats and the people working to preserve, protect and manage these resources.
